Helmet



Patented June 21 1932 UNITED STATES oFFi-cs EDWIN W. TILL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, .ASSIGNOR T'O'A. J. REACHCOTI- PANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN SYLVAN 1A,. A "CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA HELMET Application filed May 29, 1930. Serial No. 457,405.

My said invention relates to improvements in protective helmets such as are used in foot ball and similar games.

' Heretofore, so far as I am aware, such helmets have customarily been made with a hard unyielding crown and a lower flexible portion or portions overlying the forehead and sides and back of the head such lower portion or portions abutting at their upper edges againstthe lower edge of the crown portion and being held in position by the depending ends of the customary straps which overlie the crown and to which they are secured.

Such construction is open to the objection that there is a gapping between the parts and lack of protection for the head which becomes more pronounced with use due to the shrinking of the leather under the effects of alternate wetting from rain or perspiration and drying.

The present invention aims to provide a helmet which will be free from such defects or. objections and in the manner and by the means hereinafter described, my invention being defined by the claims .appended hereto.

A helmet constructed in accordance with my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a helmet partly broken away.

ig. 2 is an inside or bottom view of the crown portion partly broken away; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through one side portion of the helmet, also partly broken awayat the ends.

Referring by reference characters to this drawing, 1 designates the top or crown of the helmet which comprises an inner crown part of hard fibre 1a and an outer covering of leather 1?). 2, 8 and 4 designate the lower portions thereof for protecting the forehead, back of the head, and sides and ears, such parts being made of leather, with a suitable fore, I extend the hard fiber lining 1a below the lower edge of the crown portion, as indicated at 10 so that it overlaps the joint between the upper edges of the portions 2, 3 and 4 and the lower edge of the leather crown portion, and forms a support therefor.

The upper edges of the portions 2, 3 and 4; are secured to this downward projection of the fiber crown by stitches as indicated in the drawing and preferably a narrow strip or band of leather 6 is provided on the inside of said depending edge of the fiber crown part through which the stitches also pass, said band having its lower margin or edge depend ing below the lower edge of the fiber extension. In practice the hard fiber crown and its leather cover are generally glued together, and further secured by stitches which pass through both layers and also the exterior reinforcing straps 5.

Such a construction has been found in practice to be highly advantageous and to prevent any gapping between the crown and lowof an opposing players toe or other shoe part..

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

l. A protective helmet having a crown of rigid inflexible material provided with a leather covering, said crown having 1ts margin depending below the edge of the covering and terminating on a line above the ears at all points, leather protectors for the forehead and sides and back of the head having their upper margins secured to the outer face of the depending portion of said crown and with their upper edges in juxtaposition to the edge of the leather cover, and a reinforcing strip overlying the inside of the lower edge of the crown and secured thereto.

2. In a protective helmet having a crown portion of rigid inflexible material, the lower edge extremity of which is on a line above the ears at all points, and said inflexible crown portion having a covering of softer material, said inflexible crown extending below the lower edge of said covering, and protector means for the lower parts of the head covering the forehead, sides, and back of the head, said protector means having an upper edge portion secured to theoutside of said uncovered lower portion of 'the inflexible crown and abutting the said lower edge of the covering. In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

EDWIN W. TILL. 

